Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
For some Americans, AI represents the epitome of human innovation and the gateway to an era of abundance and independence.
For others, it’s the avatar for broken economic promises and unacceptable concentrations of power that have rendered the American Dream out of reach for most. Increasingly, economists and advocates across the political spectrum agree on two things: 1) today’s social contract stands deeply frayed, and 2) the impact AI will have on the future of that contract is up to us to decide. As AI diffuses across sectors, it serves as a powerful catalyst that could either further erode the economic and social benefits of work or act as the foundation for a modernized, more equitable social contract.
Panelists will explore the dual possibilities of the AI transition, including how automated systems could weaken worker leverage and accelerate displacement, or be harnessed to boost human capability, and more fairly share productivity gains. By grounding the discussion in the realities of today’s workplaces as well as experiments with tomorrow’s innovations, panelists will point us toward the strategic policy, business, and labor interventions required to ensure AI strengthens, rather than dismantles, the social contract. This event builds on the first conversation in this series, Work and the Social Contract in the Age of AI: How did we get here?
The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative, part of the Economic Opportunities Program, empowers and equips leaders to innovate workplace structures, policies, and practices that renew rather than erode America’s social contract.
About Opportunity in America
Opportunity in America, an event series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, considers the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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